Apparatus for marking road surfaces



April 22, 1952 F. E. BALLEW 2,593,960'

APPARATUS FOR MARKING ROAD SURFACES Filed May 26, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET l ELE-...1

BY 0@ MMM/ April 22, 1952 F. E. BALLEW 2,593,960

APPARATUS FOR MARKING ROAD sURFAcEs Filed May 26, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 E 1E; E

33 E f E 33 35 i l A sa IN V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR MARKING ROAD SURFACES 11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to equipment of the type employed to mark the surface of a road to indicate trahie lanes.

In dividing road surfaces into traffic lanes, it

is customary to employ mobile equipment having provision for spraying or otherwise applying lines of predetermined color and width on the road surface as the equipment is propelled along the road, It has also been proposed to distribute beads or particles of light reflecting material on the freshly painted lines so that the latter will be visible at night.

The present invention concerns itself more particularly with the equipment for applying the beads or light reflecting substance on the previously painted lines and has as one of its objects to more uniformly distribute the substance throughout the width of the lines. As a result, the light reflecting characteristics of the lines are substantially uniform throughout the area of the latter and the opposite side edges of the lines are well dened.

A more detailed object of this invention is to provide a distributor for the light reflecting particles in the form of a housing having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof and adapted to be supported on the mobile equipment in a position to register the discharge opening with the paintedline. The road marking substance or light reecting material is supplied to the upper end of the housing and falls by the action of gravity through the discharge opening onto the painted line before the paint has an opportunity to dry, so that the paint serves as a binder for the material.

Another object of this invention is to provide means in the delivery end of the housing for deecting the light reflecting material laterally within limits determined by adjusting the angular position of the deflector with respect to the path of flow' of the material and thereby enable distributing the material throughout the entire area of lines regardless of their width.

A further feature of this invention is to provide a pair of laterally spaced deectors at the delivery end of the housing adjustable independently of one another to direct varying quantities of material either to the right or left of the delivery end of the housing. Thus, by carefully adjusting the deflectors wind deflection and Y other factors tending to interfere with uniform application of the material may be compensated for.

Still another object of this invention is to pro- .1 vide` the housing with a supply tube having an 2 opening at the top through which the light reflecting material passes into the housing and having means for deflecting the material passing upwardly through the opening in opposite directions extending laterally outwardly from the tube.

A still further object of this invention is to divide the outlet opening in the top of the supply tube into two parts of substantially equal area with a rib on the deflector, so that two streams of material are directed into the housing at opposite sides of the tube.

In addition to the foregoing the present invention embodies means in the supply tube beyond the outlet opening for directing the light reflecting material upwardly through the outlet opening in the tube and adjustable to enable varying the quantity of material passing upwardly along either side of the dividing rib on the deiiector.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View partly in section of road marking equipment embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional veiw through a part of the equipment shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of the equipment;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the equipment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a perspective View of a part of the equipment.

The equipment forming the subject matter of this invention may be used in connection with road marking equipment having a carriage adapted to be propelled over a road surface and having provision for spraying paint on the surface of the road to form a line. The carriage and paint applying means form no part of the present invention and accordingly are not shown herein. It will suffice to point out that the apparatus embodying the features of this invention may be mounted on the carriage in a position to distribute the light reiiecting substance on the freshly painted line, so that the paint forms, in effect, a binder for holding the particles of light refiecting material in position on the road surface. i

a vertical position and is closed at the top b-y a cap I4 in the form oi a plate removably'secured to the housing by fastener elements I5. The op posite sides of the housing taper inwardly to thebottom of the housing and thelatter is formed with an outlet opening I6 through which the light reflecting material in the housing I I is discharged by the action of gravity.

Thelight reflecting material is fed into tie hopper kII .adjacent the upper endof the latter `by a tubular portion I Evhaving the opposite ends open and projecting through vthe front and rear walls I'I and IS respectively of the housing. The light reflecting material is conductedfronl the hopper I3 tothe tubularportion IIS by a tube I9 having the rear end sleeved in the front end portion of the tube it and havingrthe opposite end projecting into the hOpDerrIZ. The latter end of the tube iijis formed with an elongated slot 2i) through thetopwall thereof to enable the light rellecting4 material in the hopper I3 to pass into the tube I9. The light reecting material collected in the tube ISisV fed rearwardlyrinto the tubeIB' byauscrew V2i rotatablysupported inthe tube I9 and projecting rearwardly into the iront en-d portion of the tube I. Any suitable means not shown hereinlmay be employed for rotating the screw 2I in a direction to feed the light reflecting material from the hopper I3 tothe tube It.

The light reflecting material is discharged from the tube Iinto the upper end of the housing II through an openingvEZ formedin the top oi the tube Iand is directed upwardly through the opening 22 .byabaiilein the form of a plug 23. The plug`2 is inserted into the rearl end of the tubeIlQand is provided with a surface 24 at thevfront Lend which V'is inclined in a direction to 4direct the particles of :light reflecting material upwardly through the `opening 22.

The particles of light reflecting material passing upwardly through the outlet openin 22 contact a deflector `25 preferably formed of sheet metal and having Va central depending rib 2S.

The rib-2t projects intothe outletopening l2512 and dividesthe latter into two parts in the manner clearly shownin Figure 3 ofthe drawings.

The depending rib '255 also engages in vertical slots 2lformed in the upper end of the tube I6 -at opposite sides of the opening 22 and thereby upwardly through the outlet opening E2 at opposites'ides of the rib 2li. It follows from the foregoing that the light reflecting material passingupwardly through 4the outlet opening 2?.

is-divided bythe rib 2li into two streams, and the flanges 23 serve -to direct the particles in the two streams laterally outwardly into the heusm Y isVof course, objectionable.

ing so that one stream passes downwardly at one side of the tube I5 and the other stream passes downwardly at the opposite side of the tube I6'. rThus the deflector 25 not only provides for a more uniform distribution of the particles of light reflecting material in the housing I I, but also prevents this material from building up in the form of acens-shaped column above the outlet opening 22. In this connection it is pointed out that in cases where the .delector is omitted, a column of the light reflecting material collects above the outlet opening 22, and this column of material ordinarily remains after use of the apparatus is discontinued. As a consequence this quantity ci material is usually wasted subsequent to each operation of the device and this However, the deflector prevents the accumulation of any column oi material above the outlet opening 22, and as a result,v minimizes waste of material.

The particles of material supplied to the housing l I in the above manner 'are discharged from the housing through the outlet opening I3 at are respectively welded or otherwise permanently secured to the rock shafts 3l and 32. Thefrock shafts extendvthrough aligned openings formed in the front and rear walls of the Ahousing Il adjacent the discharge opening I6 and-the rear ends of the rook shaftsare providedwith cranks 33 which project upwardly adjacentsthe 'rear wall of the housing II exteriorly of the latter where they may be conveniently Aengaged for manipulating the deilectors 29` andl 3l). -The cranks 33 may be independently -operated Vto angularly adjust the deflectors,andare held in any one of a number of selected adjusted-positions by means of arbarrd. The bar 34 is s ecured to the rear wall I8 of the housing II and is provided with a plurality of notches 35 for selectively engaging the cranks.

With the above construction it will be noted that the particles of light reflecting material passing `through the discharge opening I6 onto the road sur-face may be directed laterally in opposite directions to vary the width ofthe pattern or to alter the quantity of particles deposited on different portions of the area of the pattern. For example, if it is found that a strong cross wind prevails and that the particles areblown toward one side of the pattern, the deflectors 29 and 3E) may be adjusted to alter this condition. In this connection it will be noted vthat both deflectors are formed with elongated slots 37 of sunicient width to enable the passage of particles of material therebetween, so that regardless of the relative adjusted positions of the reflectors, a substantially uniform distribution of the particles on the patternis obtained.

In order to also overcome the tendency 4for cross winds to disrupt the pattern, provision is made Ifor suspending the shield I2 from' the delivery @ed ,of insinuare L The .shield -1.2

' is tubular in cross section' and has ka-dlameter substantially greater than'the size of the outlet openingr I6 so as not to interfere with the now of particles of light reflecting material from the outlet opening to the road surface. The upper end of the shield is provided with diametrically opposed upwardly extending lugs 38 adapted to assume positions at opposite sides of the housing Il and having aligned openings therethrough for receiving a pin 39 which extends transversely through the housing adjacent the delivery end of the latter. The shield is centered with respect to the delivery end of the housing by a sleeve 40 and a coil spring 4|. The sleeve 40 acts as a spacer and is positioned on the pin 39 between one of the lugs 38 and the adjacent side of the housing. The spring 4| is supported on the pin between the opposite side of the housing and adjacent lug. The opposite ends of the spring respectively engage the housing and adjacent lug on the shield and serve to yieldably maintain the housing against the sleeve or spacer 40. The lower end of the shield extends in a position in as close proximity to the road surface as is practical in order to minimize any tendency for cross winds to interfere with proper distribution of the particles of reecting material on the road surface.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Road marking equipment for applying solid particles of material along a predetermined line on the road, comprising a distributor in the form of a downwardly tapering housing adapted for movement along a road surface and having a delivery opening at the bottom shaped to dis- .charge solid particles of a marking substance on the road surface along a line determined by the path of travel of the housing over the road, rotatable conveyor means for supplying solid particles of a marking substance to the upper portion of said housing and dropping the same through said opening, a pair of deiiectors pivotally supported in laterally spaced relation to each other and extending across the path of travel of the marking substance passing through the delivery end of the housing, and means for independently adjusting the deectors.

2. Road marking equipment comprising a distributor in the form of a housing adapted for movement along a road surface and having a delivery opening at the bottom shaped to discharge a marking substance on the road surface along a line determined by the path of travel of the housing over the road, a pair of deector plates extending across the delivery opening in laterally spaced relationship, said deflector plates having slots of sufficient size to enable the passage of marking substance therethrough, a pivotal mounting for each deflector plate permitting swinging movement of the latter to different angular positions, and means for independently swinging said deflectors.

3. Road marking equipment comprising a distributor in the form of a downwardly tapering housing having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a tubular member extending transversely across the upper end portion of the housing communicating with a source of supply of road marking substance and having an outlet opening at the top communicating with the interior of the housing, means for feeding the substance into the tube and upward through the outlet opening, a deflector for directing the substance passing through the outlet opening laterally outwardly from the tube into the housing.

4. Road marking equipment comprising a distributor in the form of a downwardly tapering housing having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a tubular member extending transversely across the upper end portion of the housing communicating with a source of supply of road marking substance and having an outlet opening at the top communicating with the interior of the housing, means for feeding the substance nto the tube and upward through the outlet opening, and a deector for the substance passing 'through the outlet opening having a rib for dividing the substance into two streams and having means for directing the streams laterally outwardly in opposite directions.

5. Road marking equipment comprising a distributor in the form of a housing having a removable cap at its upper end and a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a tubular member extending transversely across the upper end portion of the housing communicating with a source of sup ply of road marking substance and having an outlet opening at the top communicating with the interior of the housing, means for feeding the substance into the tube and upward through the outlet opening, a deiiector removably supported on the tubular portion and having a rib dividing the outlet opening into two equal parts, and means projecting laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the rib for directing the substance into the housing at opposite sides of the tubular portion to drop through said discharge opening.

G. Road marking equipment comprising a distributor in the form of a housing having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a tubular member extending transversely across the upper end portion of the housing communicating with a source of supply of road marking substance and having an outlet opening at the top communicating with the interior of the housing, means for feeding the substance into the tubular portion in a direction toward the outlet opening, and a baille closing the end of the tubular portion beyond the outlet opening and having the surface thereof adjacent the outlet opening inclined to direct the substance upwardly through the outlet opening.

7. Road marking equipment comprising a distributor in the form of a housing having a dis charge opening at the bottom thereof, a tubular member extending transversely across the upper end portion of the housing communicating with a source of supply of road marking substance and having an outlet opening at the top communicating with the interior of the housing, means for feeding the substance into the tubular portion in a direction toward the outlet opening, a bafe closing the end of the tubular portion `beyond the outlet opening and having the surface thereof adjacent the outlet opening inclined to ,direct the substance upwardly through the outlet opening, and means for deflecting the substance passing through said outlet opening laterally outwardly in opposite directions.

8. Road marking equipment comprising a distributor in the form of a housing having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a tubular mei-Tiber extendingtransversely across the upper end portion of the housing communicating with 1a source of supply of road marking substance `and having an outlet opening at the top com- `.-"inunicating with the interior of the housing, 1 :means for feeding the substance into the tubular :portion in a direction toward the outlet opening,

`a baffle closing the end of the tubular portion beyond the outlet opening and having the surface thereof adjacent the outlet opening inclined to direct the substance upwardly through the outlet opening, and means for selectively rotating the bailie in opposite directions to inuence the How of a greater quantity of substance through the outlet opening at one side thereof.

9. Read marking equipment comprising a distributor in the form of a housing having a, discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a tubular member extending transversely across the upper end portion of the housing communicating with a source of supply of road marking substance and having an outlet opening at the top communicating with the interior of the housing, means for feeding the substance into the tubular portion in a direction toward the outlet opening, a balile closing end of the tubular portion beyond the outlet opening and havincy the surface thereof adjacent the outlet opening inclined to direct the upwardly through the outlet opening, nieans for deflecting the substance passing upwardly through said outlet opening iaterally outwardl, in opposite directions, and for selectively rotating the in opposite directions to cause a greater quantity of the substance to i'low in one direction from the outlet opening.

V10. Road marking equipment comprising a distributor in tlie'forn of a housing having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a tubular member extending transversely across the upper end portion of the housing communicating with a source or" supply of road marking substance and having an outlet opening at the top communicating with the interior of the housing, means for feeding the substance into the tubulaiportion in Erection toward the out-let opening, a baiiie closing the end oi the tubular portion beyond the outlet opening and having the surface thereof adjacent the outlet opening inclined to Vdirect the substance upwardly through the outlet opening, a deector for the `substance passing charge openingV at the bottom thereof, a tubular member-extending' transversely across the upper end portion oi the housing lcommunicating with a source of supply of road marking substance and having an outlet opening at the top communicating with the interior of the housing, means ior'feeding the substance into the tube and through the outlet opening, a deiiector for the substance passing upwardly through theoutlet opening having a rib for dividing 'the outlet opening into two parts and having means for directing the substance iiowing upwardlyY along opposite sides of the rib laterally outwardly, and independently adjustable defiectors at the delivery end of the housing for directing *thefsubstance passing through the discharge opening Ylaterally outwardly. v

BALLEWl REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

`Ul`\TI"IED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 14,630 Lawrenson Apr. 8, 1856 2,686,673 Johnson July 13, 1937 2,125,472 Taylor Aug. 2, 1938 2,351,719 Stahl June 2G, 1944 2,369,933 Rodli et al Feb. 20, 1945 2,377,789 Hann June 5, 1945 2,401,491 Lewis June ll, 1946 2,476,465 Tarrant July 1.9, 19%9 

